https://ultrafino.com/blogs/articles.atomUltrafino - Articles2018-05-11T14:01:00-07:00Ultrafinohttps://ultrafino.com/blogs/articles/the-complete-panama-hat-history2018-05-11T14:01:00-07:002018-05-11T14:01:54-07:00The Complete Panama Hat HistoryBlogger UltrafinoMore]]>
What country makes Panama hats? Where do Panama hats come from? We’ve noticed a lot of misinformation floating around the internet about the origin of Panama hats, and as a central authority in Panama hats, we would like to give you the official Panama hat story.

You’re about to learn everything you could have ever wanted to know about the origin of Panama hats. We’ll tell you things like not only what country makes Panama hats, but also which part of that country makes the very best ones, so read on!

Where Do Panama Hats Come From?

The origin of Panama hat began in the early 1500s when Spanish conquerors first observed a mystifyingly beautiful headpiece worn by the natives of Ecuador. The rich and shiny material was like nothing they had ever seen before. We now know that the hats were woven from straw, but the superstitious Spanish explorers thought that the Ecuadorians were wearing vampire skin!

What Country Makes Panama Hats?

Authentic Panama hats are made in Ecuador. Several countries make what they call Panama hats nowadays, but Ecuador was the very first. The coastal provinces of Guayas and Manabi began weaving the straw hats in 1630, and the true origin of Panama hats can be traced back to a town called Montecristi (of the Manabi region). They were most commonly called “jipijapa,” “toquilla,” or “montecristi” hats at the time (the latter two phrases are still in use today).

Despite the origin of Panama hats, the term “Panama hat” did not come until much later. So the next time someone asks “what country makes Panama hats”, or “where do Panama hats come from,” you tell them that authentic Panama hats come only from Ecuador.

The Panama Effect

Instead of asking “what country makes Panama hats,” the real question is why does Panama make Panama hats famous. The origin of Panama hats may surprise you.

At the time, there were plenty of reasons for foreigners to mistakenly conclude that the hats came from Panama instead of Ecuador. Many Americans went through Panama to get to California during the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s. Thus, Panama is where they first encountered the delightfully lightweight and stylish straw hats that would help guide them on their journey to prosperity. This wrongful assumption of the origin of Panama hats would only be reinforced many years later after Theodore Roosevelt was photographed many times wearing the attractive straw hat while inspecting the Panama Canal.

Perhaps the most definitive moment of Panama hat history occurred when Panama hats were showcased at the 1855 World Fair in Paris. At that time, nobody knew what country makes Panama hats for sure, and so this event would have been the perfect opportunity to clear up the misconception once and for all. However, nowhere was the country of Ecuador mentioned in the World Fair catalog, and so people continued to wonder what country makes Panama hats after all.

By the time that people began to realize that the hats were made in Ecuador instead of Panama, it was too late, and the name had already grown too familiar to change.

The Revolution

None of this would have been possible without Manuel Alfaro, a man who in many ways can be considered the grandfather of Panama hat history. This Spanish entrepreneur arrived in Montecristi in 1835 to make his name and fortune in Panama hat history, where his streamlined production process, coupled with business from the Gold Rush boom, ushered him in a new era of prosperity.

Soon the demand for Panama hats spread beyond visiting gold-diggers. The Ecuadorian port of Guayaquil helped facilitate the Panama hat industry throughout the 19th century. Ecuador also established its first railroad system in 1850, further boosting the trade.

With Alfaro’s success came stiff competition. Rival hat makers in the province of Azuay and other areas attempt to undercut his business with cheaper products, but their manufacturing methods were vastly inferior. At this point, the growing Panama hat industry splintered into two sectors. Cheaper Panama hats flooded the market from rival competitors while the Manabi region proudly continued to make a superior product using traditional weaving techniques and hundreds of years of experience. To this day, hats from Montecristi are considered the finest, most authentic Panama hats in existence – and rightfully so.

Once the people of Paris fell in love with this unique Ecuadorian headgear at the World Fair, London, Rome, and other countries soon followed. The rare and precious toquilla straw from Ecuador used to make the hats was not popularized until the 18th century when it was cataloged by two Spanish botanists for King Charles the IV. Until that point, it had been somewhat of a local Ecuadorian secret. Ecuador eventually authorized toquilla straw trade with Peru and Columbia, though these countries could not compete with the refined crafting techniques of Ecuador.

The Alfaro Legacy

At the age of 21, Manuel Alfaro’s son, Eloy, travels to Panama to take over his father’s hat trade. His excellent sensibilities and growing reputation would one day go on to make him the leader of Ecuador and also lead the Liberal Revolution of 1895. He guided the country into a remarkable social and economic transformation that wouldn’t have been possible if not for the wealth acquired by the origin of Panama hats.

With Eloy’s ascent to power, as the President of Ecuador came a new legacy in Panama hat history. Panama hats became the Ecuadorian fashion accessory of independence and newly-celebrated nationalism. New railroads spread the hat industry even further as the stylish hats gained more momentum.

A New Era

Panama hats continued to enjoy worldwide press and admiration throughout the turn of the next century. Fashion magazines and newspapers alike were adorned with Panama hat aficionados. Hollywood embraced the Panama hat’s many desirable qualities despite getting the origin of Panama hats wrong the entire time. The exotic hat created a dramatic silhouette that was destined for film, and its masculine image cast the perfect impression on audiences everywhere.

Where do Panama hats come from? Just take a look at these famous Panama hat wearers of the time:

Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt

Orson Welles

Humprey Bogart

Gary Cooper

Galo Plaza (Ecuadorian President from 1948-1952)

Soon, other countries made Panama hats from wood, wheat, and even palm trees, though their Ecuadorian counterparts continued to reign supreme, especially throughout Europe (the United States, on the other hand, did not seem to mind wearing the cheaper versions, though this rule has since changed in modern times). North America also took a keen interest in manufacturing these hats as well.

The Panamanian trend kept soaring to new heights as designer shops throughout the United States competed to sell the most exclusive Panama hats (often referred to as “finos”). Mexico, Brazil, and Cuba soon jumped into the fashion fray. By 1944, the hats were Ecuador’s number one export, beating out even their lucrative banana trade.

The Present

As you now know, the popularity of Panama hats has hardly declined (as evidenced by their continual manufacture almost everywhere). They have become an icon of timeless fashion. One country continues to make the best hats, Ecuador. And at when you purchase an Ultrafino Brand Panama hat, you are getting an authentic Ecuadorian woven hat full of hundreds of years of rich history. At Ultrafino, we truly understand what makes the origin of Panama hats so unique, so when someone asks, “where do Panama hats come from,” you tell them: Ecuador and sold by Ultrafino.

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https://ultrafino.com/blogs/articles/how-to-store-your-hats-at-home2017-04-14T10:23:00-07:002017-04-14T10:40:05-07:00How to Store Your Hats At HomeBlogger UltrafinoMore]]>
This article is from our Blog

A beautiful and well-made hat is a style investment that you can enjoy for many years. However, if the hat is stored incorrectly this can cause damage and make your hat look worse for wear before its time. If you have treated yourself to a high quality Ecuadorian woven Panama hat, don’t cheapen its appearance by storing it incorrectly. This article will offer some valuable tips for storing your hat at home.

Clean Your Hat First

Before you store your hat long term, it is important to properly clean it first. You should brush away any dirt lingering on your hat so that the grime doesn’t cause damage to the hat when it is stored long term. This is true for any style of hat, from straw hats to fedoras to cowboy hats.

Should You Hang It On a Coat Rack?

Hanging your hat on a coat rack or a hat rack can be an okay way to store it temporarily. However, don’t plan on storing a hat this way for a long time. When a hat is hung on a hook, gravity will pull it down over time and distort the shape.

What About Storing Hats in Boxes?

If you are storing your hat for a long period of time, the best thing to do is to place the hat in a hat box. Not only will it keep the hat dry, it will also keep it protected from any other items in storage that might crush it or dent it. You have the choice to either buy a hat box or you can make your own. Sometimes, high-end hats such as a Montecristi will come with a hat box.

Or Storing Hats on a Shelf?

Another option is to designate a shelf somewhere in your home for storing your hats. You can line them up in a row along the shelf. The advantage of this is that they are on display so that everyone can admire their beauty and you can easily choose from them. However, the disadvantage is they are exposed to dust and direct sunlight so they could age more quickly. If you choose this option, make sure that the shelf is deep enough so that the back brim of the hat is not squashed against the wall and the front will hang over the edge, maintaining the brim shape.

How do you store your hat at home? Let us know in the comments below.

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https://ultrafino.com/blogs/articles/how-to-care-for-your-panama-hat2016-09-01T00:28:00-07:002017-04-14T10:40:50-07:00Caring For Your Panama HatEsteban Parreno
Panama hats are special due to their construction and the materials involved. Your Panama hat was woven together with straw, and if it’s a genuine Panama hat, it was made from toquilla straw using the traditional Ecuadorian weaving process. This process takes a lot of time and precision, making your Panama hat cost more than its disingenuous counterpart. Needless to say, each Panama hat is a unique work of art which means you need to take care of it properly in order to maintain it.

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So you’ve purchased your first Panama hat but aren’t sure how to care for it. A genuine Panama hat is a woven straw hat made from toquilla straw using an Ecuadorian weaving process. This process takes a lot of time and precision, making a genuine Panama hat cost significantly more than just any woven straw hat. You need to care for it to maintain its quality and condition properly.

Caring for a genuine Panama hat is not the same as caring for a cloth hat or a baseball cap. Due to its woven materials, the Panama hat has to be treated gently so that the fibers do not become unwoven and give the hat a frayed appearance that is not fixable.

Let’s look at how you can care for your Panama hat properly and avoid any unnecessary damage.

Wearing Your Hat

Panama hats were designed to be worn in hot weather to protect your face from the sun. They weren’t created to for the rain, so if you get caught in a storm with your hat, you will need to dry it out naturally without applying artificial heat. When you dry it out, make sure to store it in the correct shape, so it doesn’t dry out in an irregular or different shape than it originally was.

Maintaining Your Hat

Maintaining your Panama hat requires it needs to be brushed periodically to retain its appearance. Use a soft whisk brush to remove dust from your hat. Brushing your hat prevents dirt from settling down into the fibers, which can permanently darken the appearance of your Panama hat over time. Clean your hat once a week to avoid permanent staining.

Next, maintain the shape of your Panama hat by being careful of how you pick it up and put it down. When you pick up your hat, use the brim rather than the crown of the hat. When you put it down, put it with the crown facing down to avoid distorting the shape of the brim. If you do need to straighten the brim of your hat, you can iron it on low heat with a cloth between the iron and the hat to prevent the delicate fibers of the hat from burning.

Storing Your Hat

Proper storage of your hat can prolong its lifetime and avoid damage to its overall shape and color. A Panama hat needs to be kept in a cool, dark place when you are not wearing it. The straw fibers are sensitive to extreme temperatures, so storing it in places such as the back of the car on a hot day is a bad idea. Extreme heat will cause the fibers to dehydrate and crack, leading to a frayed appearance. If your hat is subjected to hot weather, spraying your hat with water from time to time will prevent the fibers from cracking.

When it’s time to take off your Panama hat for the day, place it on a hat rack or a block specifically made for storing hats. Leaving your hat on a flat surface will cause it to bow in the front and the back.

Removing Stains

Stain removal from Panama hats can be tricky without permanently damaging your hat, especially if the stain has soaked in to the hat’s fibers. First start by taking a damp cloth with cold water and gently rubbing the stain with the grain of the hat. This will work best for stains that are just on the surface of the fibers. If the stain or dirt is not embedded in the fibers of the hat, you can also try using a soft-bristle brush to remove it. Remove stains as quick as you can to avoid them soaking and setting into the fibers, causing permanent damage.

One of the more common stains is from sweat. Dark water or sweat stains can be dealt with by a professional cleaner or restoration expert who will use special chemicals and tools to remove deep stains from the fibers. There are also straw hat cleaners you can purchase at home, but carefully follow the instructions! To avoid sweat stains, turn the hat inside out when you have a wet sweatband, and rest the hat on the band. Ultrafino does offer restoration services; if you are interested you can get a quote by contacting us.

If you want to attempt cleaning your hat at home, you will need mild uncolored soap, a soft cloth, and warm water. First, put some warm water in a cup or bucket and add a soap to the water. The soap needs to be undyed to avoid discoloring the fibers of your hat. Stir your soapy water until it is blended without bubbles. Soak your cloth in this mixture and rub along the grain of the hat where the stain is until the stain is gone. Using baby wipes or facial wipes often works just as well, too.

If you spill something tougher on your hat such as juice, oil, or blood, you may need to add a few drops of ammonia to your soapy water. Use gloves so that you do not make skin contact with the ammonia and apply the mixture with a brush directly onto the stain. You may need to let it sit for a minute or two before again using a soft cloth to rub along the grain until the stain is gone.

The final step is to dip a cloth into warm water and pass this over the entire hat being careful to always follow the grain of the fibers. Afterward, let it dry somewhere clean and dark. Your hat will be good as new and won’t lose its shape as long as you follow these steps.

Panama hats are an excellent accessory for both men and women, and they come in many different colors, shapes, and styles. Maintaining your hat will ensure you have it for many years, rather than having to purchase a new hat every few months. Panama hats are made with care and attention to detail. Maintain them with the same respect, and they will last a lifetime!]]>